Math: The Only Subject That Counts

Sometime last year I discovered the Danish concept of 'Hygge'. Unfortunately, there really is no English word that can do it justice, so for now I will describe it as a theory of content and happiness (which in Canada we may refer to as absolute coziness). It is warm reading socks, a cup of tea and the perfect book, next to a crackling fire and snow flakes dancing beyond the window. It is a concept that, like Canadians, helps Danes maintain their sanity through the dark and frozen winters. It is also largely associated with the warmth delivered by candlelight. For the last year the thought or sight of a classic, cylindrical candle would immediately bring me to the beautiful concept of Hygge. However, that immediate connection has changed in the last 6 weeks (well, maybe not changed, but it has gained company). Now, when I see or smell or hear this same candle, I think of math. (side bar: for those of you interested in the concept of Hygge, please read Meik Wiking's ...

Whenever I tell people I am teaching eighth grade math I receive the same look of discomfort. For some, it is the idea of teaching grade 8 or any intermediate grade. For others it is the idea of teaching math. For most, it is some combination of both. For me, grade 8 is a dream. I love the idea of becoming an intermediate teacher. Yes, there can be moments of difficulty when teaching in an intermediate classroom. However, there are always moments of difficulty, no matter what you are doing. Teaching grade 8 is a privilege. There are so many milestone moments that happen for intermediate students but particularly grade 8's; they are in the middle of deciding on high schools, they are the oldest in the school and therefore take the lead on many major school events and most importantly they are discovering who they want to be as they enter the bulk of their teenage years. Some teachers love a particular subject and love the idea of sharing their knowledge of that subject. I am less...

There are a few key words or sayings that are repeated constantly to teacher candidates throughout teachers college whether it is from instructors, professor or associate teachers. One of which has been (for me) the most difficult to accept, while also probably being the most true to a new teachers success: Don't reinvent the wheel! For many of us who are new to teaching this simple and completely true statement seems slightly ridiculous. How are we supposed to show our creativity if we aren't reinventing the wheel? Does asking for resources make me seem lazy or unwilling to work as hard as I should be?  During my first placement I would say I struggled with this concept a lot more than I am now. I was teaching Grade 7 science on rotary and wanted so badly to be able to walk in and teach the greatest chemistry lessons. Realistically, this was unlikely. 1) I was new to the science world (having english and geography as my teachables) and 2) I was new to the teaching w...

Before posting about where I will be taking my students in math I thought it would be important to preface with a bit of information about where they have been. When I entered the classroom this week the students had completed (for now) their focus on powers of ten and had moved onto learning the characteristics of a circle. My associate teacher had at some point created and labelled a drawing of a circle which was then kept on the board as a reference while their journey moved towards understanding the relationships between the characteristics themselves. After learning each definition the students began participating in a blend of hands on and interactive activities with the goal of discovering pi. The first completed a handout that required them to measure the circumference of a variety of circles using string and a ruler to measure the diameter. After each measurement they would divide the circumference by the diameter. The second activity was a Learn Alberta   resource in ...

My name is Kate. I am a second year teacher candidate at Brock University and just began my second teaching block in a Grade 8 math classroom teaching four classes on rotary. As an English major, the news of this placement came as a bit of a shock. I love intermediate and really enjoyed teaching science on rotary in my first block, but felt slightly nervous about teaching math. However, I also knew this assignment provided me with the perfect opportunity to activate the first thing I learned from the math queen herself (Jo Boaler): the importance of maintaining a growth mindset! This is where the idea for a blog began, I thought it presented a great opportunity to share my challenges and successes in an unfamiliar setting. So, stay tuned to join me over the next 6 weeks as I experience the journey of planning and teaching Grade 8 math! ©Merton Community School District